Getty Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is sacked in a game against the Buffalo Bills.
A pair of Buffalo Bills defenders came under fire for hits against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett in last Sunday’s game, but when the NFL had the final word on the matter this weekend it was the Steelers landing in hot water.
The Bills hounded the rookie quarterback in last week’s 38-3 win, keeping him under pressure and subjecting him to some very hard hits. In one play, Bills safety Damar Hamlin hit Pickett just after the Steelers quarterback went into a slide, leading Steelers lineman James Daniels to deliver a shove to Hamlin.
Another incident came late in the fourth quarter, when Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson dived in a sack attempt and ended up hitting Pickett low. The play sparked a fracas as Pickett pushed Lawson back and several players from both teams got in the mix.
The Bills were not flagged for either play, and on Saturday the league made the final call on discipline for the incidents.
NFL Fines Steelers Players
The league announced three fines against Steelers for actions in the game against the Bills — and none against Buffalo players. One of the hits on Pickett did result in action from the league, as Steelers offensive lineman James Daniels was fined $10,609 for hitting Hamlin in the dust-up that followed the Bills safety’s hit on Pickett. Steelers linebacker Kevin Dotson was also fined for sticking up for his quarterback, though a lower amount at $5,887.
Steelers linebacker Myles Jack was also fined $10,609 for a blindside block that he laid on Bills tight end Tommy Sweeney at the end of a 23-yard run for Bills running back Devin Singletary.
Notably absent from the fines was Bills edge rusher A.J. Epenesa, who was actually ejected after the fracas that broke out in the fourth-quarter hit on Pickett. Epenesa made contact with a referee, earning an automatic ejection. The Bills also sent Lawson to the locker room early, likely to help cool tensions and ensure the game ended without any more incidents. Pickett was also not fined for shoving Lawson to spark the incident.
Pickett Unhappy With Bills Hits
After the game, Pickett took issue with some of the hits he took in the game, especially the one from Lawson. He said he believed the Bills defensive lineman came a little too late and too low, adding that he was going to play with passion and didn’t regret standing up for himself.
“I’ve got to watch it again, but, in my opinion, I felt like he went after my knee after I threw it,” Pickett said in a postgame press conference. “That’s it. Tempers flare. I don’t care. I’m gonna keep playing ’til the last play of the game, and that was it. So, all good with me.”
Several others took issue with Lawson’s hit, calling it “dirty.”
Pickett earned praise for the poise he showed in the first start of his NFL career. He completed 34 of 52 passes for 327 yards and one interception, converting several key third-down plays but failing to get his team into the endzone.